Pandits respond to Hurriyat call

Their urge to return home today took them to the separatist headquarters — for the first time in 15 years. And as 40 Kashmiri Pandits s...

Their urge to return home today took them to the separatist headquarters — for the first time in 15 years. And as 40 Kashmiri Pandits stepped into the Hurriyat office here, it marked a leap for Hindu-Muslim reconciliation in the Valley.

‘‘This is truly a historic day,’’ said Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the moderate faction of the Hurriyat Conference. ‘‘This is a humble beginning to remove the bitterness of the past. This is the first step. More meetings will follow.’’

At the end of the marathon meeting, which lasted for over four hours, the Hurriyat and leaders of various migrant Pandit organisations described the talks as ‘‘fruitful’’ and said they would continue the process.

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‘‘This is a good initiative,’’ said Veerji Biloo, president of the Kashmir Pandits Coordination Committee. ‘‘The international scenario is changing and we have to change our minds, our stances.’’

The Kashmiri Pandits were represented by 40 members of more than nine organisations. Right-wing outfits like the Panun Kashmir, however, stayed away from the meeting. ‘‘It is unfortunate that there are such (hardline) parties both here and there,’’ Mirwaiz said.

At the end of the meeting, a joint declaration was made that welcomed the ongoing Indo-Pak talks.

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More

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